Fixing the friendship
by Kazters
Summary: A wee Will and Mackenzie story, set after season 2 episode 6. Mac is there to comfort Will and ends up being comforted herself.


Will was sat in his office he was still wearing his suit from the broadcast. He lit another cigarette there was already a small pile in the ashtray on his desk. He ran his hands through his hair. What a day this had been, in fact he thought what a few months it had been, nothing seemed to get any easier and everything was getting harder. He knew the office was empty it had been more than an hour since the broadcast had ended the team would all be in hang chews. It had been a while since he had joined them all in going for a drink after work. He had gone straight home after each show to Nina and a home cooked meal. But Will had missed socialising with his team. He missed Mackenzie, she had been cold and distant with him for months now and he assumed that it was due to him seeing Nina. But he missed how close they had become they had both been on the same page and the bitterness and resentment he had felt towards her had started to ebb away and he was left with a genuine friendship. Now he was sat alone in his office smoking and really wanting to get blind drunk.

Will poured himself another drink. He really didn't want to go home, he knew there was a chance Nina would be there picking up her things and he really couldn't face seeing her. He didn't want to have another conversation with her, she had been texting and calling him all day since he left her in the greenroom.

Mackenzie was in her office her glasses halfway down her nose concentrating on more operation Genoa notes from Jerry. She was so tired her eyes were stinging, Jerry was constantly sending her more things to read and it was driving her crazy. His attitude was really getting to her, it was just something else piling on top of her and she wasn't sure how much more she could take before she would break. She knew she was being short with people when they asked her things but she really couldn't help it. She had found herself being so mean to Neal the other day that she wanted to run after him and say sorry. That had been the day Will's father had died and she was more concerned with Will than anyone else, wasn't that the story of her life.

Mac took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, she could cry, she had nowhere else to go Sloan was on a date and she was sure Will would be at home with Nina perhaps snuggling on the sofa watching a movie while eating a bowl of Will's homemade pasta. She looked at the clock 9.30 she had been in work over 13 hours. She stood up put some reading materials in her bag shut down her laptop picked up her phone, bag and coat and turned the light off and walked out into the newsroom.

Mac stopped dead outside Will's office. Not only was she surprised to see he was still here, she could see he had his head in his hands and was still in his suit. Mac hesitated did she really want to get involved and have Will shoot her down again and push her away? Could she take him rejecting or shouting at her at this moment in time with the way she was feeling. Of course she was going to see if Will was ok, it was Will and she loved him even if he didn't love her back. She couldn't just walk away when he was looking the way he was through that door.

Mackenzie knocked on Will's door he looked up, his eyes were red.

"Hey, you're here late" said Mac looking at the pile of cigarette butts in the ashtray and the almost empty bottle of scotch that she knew had only been new the other day.

"Yup" said Will taking a draw of the cigarette and pouring himself another drink.

"Everything ok?" Mac asked gently

"Why wouldn't it be" said Will defensively.

"Just asking, you haven't been staying late the last couple of months" said Mac trying not to mention Nina

"Yeah well" said Will looking out the window.

Mac couldn't put her finger on what was wrong with Will be she knew something was, she also knew he wouldn't talk about it unless he was ready.

"Ok ill go then, see you tomorrow" said Mac standing up and picking her things up. Her hand was on the office door when Will spoke.

"Please don't go Mac" said Will, she turned round to look at him and it was like a 10 year old looking up at her, Will was almost pleading with her to stay, his eyes shining.

"Will what's going on?" said Mac walking over to where she had just been sitting and putting her things down.

"Just been a bad day" said Will his hand rubbing his forehead

"It's been a bad few months" said Mac

Will knew a huge part of Mackenzie's last comment was his fault and it just made him feel worse.

"But what's wrong today? Was it that stupid interview on dayside, it showed how good a sport you are" said Mackenzie with a small smile.

"No, yes, i don't know" said Will stubbing his cigarette out and picking the pack up to light another.

Mackenzie leaned over and took them out of Will's hand. Will leaned back in his chair

"What's going on?" Mac asked moving closer to Will, he could smell her perfume; he hadn't been this close to her in weeks. Their relationship had become oddly formal and only really talking if they had to. He had noticed a change in Mackenzie and it wasn't for the better, she seemed to be losing her confidence and she wasn't as bright and shiny as she was and should be.

"Forget about me, what's going on with you" said Will taking a drink and pulling out another glass and filling it for Mac.

"Me I'm fine" said Mac evasively taking the glass from Will

"Mackenzie you can't lie, i know all your tells" said Will softly and Mackenzie avoided his eyes.

"I'm just tired Will there is a lot going on" said Mac

"They story you won't tell me about?" Will enquired and Mackenzie nodded and took a large gulp of the drink Will had given her. Will could see close up that Mackenzie did look exhausted, she was pale and he was sure she had lost more weight she had probably been forgetting to eat. They usually went and got something to eat after a drink but that had all stopped with Nina.

"I don't like that Jerry kid" said Will

"That's because he isn't Jim" said Mackenzie with a smile thinking that's exactly what Don had said to her, but she felt the same way she didn't like him at all and she didn't like his attitude.

"The way I've seen him speak to you Mac it's not right" said Will

"I can handle myself, anyway we were talking about you, stop changing the subject" said Mac looking at Will.

Will sighed, he knew there was no way he was going to get out of not talking, the only person Will ever talked to was dr Habib and he hadn't been to see him for months, and he really should have been going every week. Mac had a habit of getting things out of him. She used to wait until he was almost asleep and at his most vulnerable to ask him questions about things that were bothering him to get him to talk.

"Nina and I broke up this morning after I was on dayside" said Will simply. Mac moved slightly this was not what she was expecting, and although she felt sad for Will part of her was pleased.

"I don't really know what it was with her but it was nice having someone there when I got home, and it's been a rough couple of weeks for me" said Will

"With your dad?" said Mac softly

"Yeah" said Will quietly he hated to admit that his father's passing had affected him.

"Did Nina.." Mac began but Will cut her off

"Nina didn't know about my father, in fact the only person other than my brother and sisters who knew that he had died was you" said Will looking at Mac.

Mac took his hand. "Will it's ok for you to be upset, he was your father regardless of what he did"

"It takes a real man to be a father Mac, that wasn't him, but there was so much left unsaid" said Will sadly his eyes bright and shining

"I know" said Mac

"I just want to know why" said Will

"He had stopped drinking though" said Mac

"My sister said he had been sober for a few years, he had tried to get in touch several times but i didn't want to go there. I don't forgive and forget" said Will his voice full of bitterness.

Mac felt like he had punched her, she knew this, she knew why Will acted the way he did, she knew he would never forgive her but she didn't need to hear it.

"Did your brother and sisters have a relationship with him?" asked Mac her hand still in Will's.

"Yes, they were always on at me to give him another chance but i just couldn't do it, there was to much between us" said Will "and now I'll never have the chance to tell him how I feel and tell him what he did and how it affected me" said Will sadly he angrily wiped a tear from his face.

"He made me this way, it's his fault I'm this" said Will sadly. Mac moved closer to him sitting on the desk.

"Oh Billy, there is nothing wrong with you. I know you have been having a crisis in confidence recently and you are back to being obsessed with what the viewers think of you but, you are kind, gentle, trusting, and generous, I've never felt as safe or loved as I have when I was with you. You are loyal and a damn nice guy once you get past the 7ft walls you have build around yourself and your heart" said Mackenzie looking at Will, she was looking right in his eyes, hoping he would look into hers and believe her.

"This team we have built together would walk through fire for you Will, and so would I" Said Mac quietly.

Will stood up so fast he gave Mackenzie a fright, he took her hands and she stood up. Will pulled her into a hug. "I have missed you recently Mac" said Will hugging Mackenzie so tight. Mac could feel everything Will wanted to say to her through this hug.

"I've missed you to" said Mac taking in the scent of him, the feel of his strong arms around her. She felt safe, she felt all the things that had been bothering her melt away in the few seconds of this hug.

Before she knew it she felt herself sobbing in Will's arms. Will pulled her closer and she felt him kiss the top of her head, "it's ok Mac, things can only get better" said Will Mac let out a small laugh and pulled away slightly and looked at him and she saw to the marks on his face left by tears. She got onto her tiptoes and placed a small kiss on Wills lips and he pulled her back into a hug.

"Ok it can all go horribly wrong but we will be standing together Mac, we aren't alone as long as we have each other" said Will rubbing his hand along her arm. There was nothing sexual here it was simply two people who loved each other trying to make each other feel better.

"Really" said Mac

"Really" said Will, Mac grinned into his chest and pulled away and wiped her under eyes with her fingers.

"How about Dinner on me" said Will smiling at Mac. She had missed there dinners

"I can't think of anything else i would rather do, but i think I'm slightly underdressed compared to you" said Mac smiling at Will.

Will smiled and grabbed his clothes and slipped into the bathroom to get changed.

Mac took the time to check her makeup and clear any signs of tears from her face. She switched Will's tvs off and shut down his computer.

Will came out put on his coat, Mac picked her bag up. Will took the work from her bag placed it on his desk.

"You need a rest, no work for you tonight, I'm your managing editor and I am telling you no work" said Will smiling at Mackenzie.

"Ok" said Mackenzie as they walked out of the office, Wills hand on her back.

Both thinking, regardless of what was to come they were going to face it together.


End file.
